Condenser assembly control



April 17, 1928; 1,666,682

' H. H. BUSSE CONDENSER ASSEMBLY CONTROL Filed Avril 6. 1927 3 sheets sheet 1 April 17, 1928. 1,666,682

H. H. BUSSE CONDENSER ASSEMBLY CONTROL Filed Avril 6. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 17, 1928.

H. H. BUSSE I CONDENSER ASSEMBLY CONTROL r'ile Avril 6. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES HARRY E. 311883, 01' CLEVELAND, MINNESOTA.

CONDENSER ASSEMBLY CONTROL.

Application filed April 6,

This invention relates 'enerally to control mechanism for radio con enser assemblies, in

- ters refer to the same or similar which a plurality of variable condensers are used. It relates more particularly to panel controls for such assemblies where two, or more variable condensers are used, each condenser being of the type consisting of a set of fixed spaced lates and a set of rotatable spaced plates, t e fixed plates'being alternately arranged in respect to the movable plates and each plate bein adjacent plates by air or ot er dielectric.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved and novel control mechanism for such condenser assemblies, whereby all of the movable plates of the various con densers can be simultaneously moved or the movable set of plates of any one of the con densers can be independently moved.

, To this end, the invention consists in the novel devices and novel combinations of devices defined in the claims and hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characarts throughout the various viewsand, in w ich,

Fig. 1 is-a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention applied to one type of condenser assembly, certain of the parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the device; 7

Fig. 3 vertical section taken on line 3'3 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one embodiment .of 1

the present invention applied to another type of condenser assembly, certain of the parts being broken away and. s'hownin section, and,

insulated from s 1927. Serial No. 181,890.

illustrated, comprises a set of spaced fixed condenser plates 10 secured at spaced intervals, in turn, on bolts 11 secured to and extending between pairs of cooperating bars 9, the said plates being spaced from one another by spacing washers 12, and movable condenser'plates 13 spaced from one another by washers l4 and secured to shafts 15'0r 16 gournaled respectively in each pair of bars 9. 'haft 15 of condenser A, the forward condenser, extends forwardly from the forward bar 9 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The movable and fixed plates of each condenser A, B and C are alternatel arranged in respect to one another, eac plate being insulated from its adjacent plates the three condensers A, B and C, that the movable plates may be adjusted to effect resonance with a received signal and with each other. It will, of course, be understood that different types of variable condensers may be used in lace of the condensersA, Band C describe Secured to the forward outer end of shaft 16 of condenser B is an arm 17 having secured thereto at its outer end the forwardly projecting bar 18 composed-preferably of It will be -byan air dielectric. As a shaft 15 or 16 of insulating material. Secured to-the forward end of shaft 16 of condenser C is an arm 50 preferably of slightly greater length than Fig. 5 is a'vertical section taken on linee arm 17 and having secured thereto at its 1 able condensers A, B and G of any common type of construction are secured to each pair of bars 9.' Each condenser A, B and C, as

outer end the forwardly projecting bar 19 also composed preferably from insulating 7 material. The assembly consisting of the supports 6, bars .7 and 9 and the. condensers 'A, B and C will be so situated in a radio receiving. set that the condensers will project immediately rearwardly from the front panel 20 of the set, the front panel having a comparatively large circular opening provided. therein and: the forward portion of shaft 15 extending centrally through said opening; Journaled at the forward end. of

shaft 15, a main control dial 21 is provided,

the said dial being of such size as to just fit over the circular opening in panel 20 and being so placed as to closely abut the panel."

The dial 21 has a central substantially cylindrical forwardly projecting portion therein, is beveled at its outer faced portion and is preferably rovided with a conventional half circumfzerential scale 21' faced portion, the said scale being adapted to cooperate with an arrow or other designation 22 provided at the upper side of the panel 20 closely adjacent the outer circumference of the dial. Three shafts 23, 24 and 25 are journaled in the cylindrical portion of the main dial 21 and are preferably set at approximately 120 degree angles to each other. The said shafts project rearwardly from the rear'side cof the dial 21 diiferen t lengths and each has fixed thereto at its rear end'a cylindrical cam 26 secured oif center to the shaft, whereby as the shaft is rotated, the cam will be eccentrically turned. The rear end of each cam 26 is provided with a projecting flange and small coil pressure springs 27 are provided extending about the various shafts 23, 24 and 25 and reacting betweenthe forward sides of the cams and the rear side of the maindial21. Knobs 28 are secured as by set screws to the forward ends of the shafts 23, 24 and 25, the said knobs closely abutting the-forward side of the cylindrical portion of the main dial 21 and each knob 28 having a small pointer 28 thereon, adapted to cooperate with an arouate scale 29 formed on the face of the cylindrical portion of the main dial 21 adjacent each-of the knobs 28.

An arm 30, journaled on the forward portion of shaft 15' rearwardlyfrom the rear,

side of dial 21, is secured at its outer end to the bar 19. A second arm 31 is journaled on the shaft 15 'immediatel rearwardly from the arm 30 and secure at its outer end to the forward end of the bar 18. A third arm 32 is secured to the shaft 15 immediately rearwardly of arm 31 as by a set screw. The arms 30, 31 and 32 have elongated slots 30*, 31% and 32 respectively, formed therein and extending radially to the axis of the shaft 15. The width of the slots '30, 31 and 32 -are approximately equal to the diameter of the cams 26.. One of said cams fits within each of the slots 30, 31 and 32" and the flanges on the cams extend rearwardly from the arms 30, 31 and 32 to prevent forward removal of the cams from the respective slots. The two arms 30 and-31 are so bent that when the arms are positioned in such amanner that the slots 31 and 30 extend at 120 degree angles to each other, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the two bars 18 and19 will extend parallel to each other, the bar 18 being inwardly spaced from bar 19, and both bars being within the. outline of forward U -shaped support 6 and mounted for free movement'ahout a semlcircular are. A spring brake 33 is secured at one end of the forward end of a bar 7 and on said outer isadapted to bear-against the inner side of the-main dial 21 to hold the dial under some little tension from rotation after the dial has been turned to a given position.

. Operation.

Arms 17, 50 and 32 are adjusted on their respective shafts 16 and 15 so that when the main dial 21 is turned so that the number 100 on the scale 21 registers with the arrow 22, the upper edges of the various sets of movable condenser plates 13 will be substantially parallelwiththc upper edges of the stationary condenserplates 10, and the movable condenser plates will be projecting downwardly between the various fixed condenser plates In such position, knobs 28 will all be swung to the extreme counterclockwise position, asindicated in .Fig. 2. -When now it is desired to pick ups station on the radio receiving set, the main control dial alone will be turned. Thesprings 27 will be of suificient tension so that as thedial, thereby swinging the bars.18 and 19 and arms 17 and 50 and causing all the shafts 16 and 15 of condensers A, B and G to turn to swing the various sets of movable con-7 denser plates 13 simultaneously. Inasmuch as nearly all radio stations may be picked up by a receiving set wherein several con densers are used, when the movable plates of the several condensers are all set at relatively the same position in respect to their cooper ating fixed plates, it will be very easy by merely turning the main control dial 21 to pick up practically every station which the receiving set is capable of receiving, so that the particular station picked up is capable of being heard, at least, indistinctly. After a particular station has been picked .up in this manner, it is desirable to secure. a fine adjustment between the various condensers so that the best possible reception will be obtained. The spring brake 33 will hold the main control dial 21 at the adjusted position.

One of the knobs'28, as for example the knob 28 secured to shaft 23, may now be turned in a'clockwise direction to secure the best possible adjustment of .the movable con-- denser plates of the condenser A. As the knob is turned, the shaft 23 will be rotated thereby causing the cam 28 secured to the shaft to be rotated causing the arm 32 to be swung in to the shaft 23, due to the eccentric action of the cam. As the arm 32' is swung, the shaft 15 will be rotated, thereby sw the movable set of condenser plates 13 of the condenser A. Afine adjustment of the movable set of condenser plates of the condenser A can thus be The knob secured to shaft 24 can next be turned to secure a fine adjustment of the movable plates of condenser B.- As the shaft 24 is turned, the cam-28 secured thereto will swing the arm 31 thereby causin the bar 18 toswing the arm 17, rotate s aft 16 of condenser B and to turn the movable set of condenser plates 13 of condenser B. In a similar manner, as the knob 28 secured to shaft 23 is turned, arm 30, bar-19 and arm 50 will be swung to rotate shaft 16 and movable condenser plates 13 of condenser C. All the various sets of movable plates of the three condensers can thus be finely adjusted in respect to each other without movement-of the main control dial 21. If then it is desired to keep the same relative adjustment between the various movable condenser plateswhen picking up another station, the main control dial 21 may be swung and the movable sets of condenser plates will remain in the same relative adjustment to each other. When .itis desired to tabulate the settings of the dials 21 and 28 of a particular station, so that the same can again be readily turned to without needless experimental adjustment of any of the movable condenser plates, the recording of the scale of the main dial 21 is noted together with the recording of the scales 29 of each indiyidual knob or dial 28. When it is desired to find the same station again, the main. dial can be readily turned so that the scale registers .with the arrow 22 at the recorded point, while the various pointers 28" on the knobs 28 can be turned to register with the recorded points on the variousscales 29.

Various types of hook-ups can be made up is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Referring to said figures, three, condensers D, E and F are illustrated. These condensers are mounted side by side on two spaced bars 35, each '41 preferably of the centerv condenser E is forwardly extended and the main dial 21 is pivoted onto the shaft 41' in the same manner as in the previously described assemblyto the shaft 15. "In place of the arms 17, 50, 30, 31 and 32 and bars 18 and 19,

used in the assembly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a slightly different construction is used. Straight arms 42, 43 and 44 are sub- I stituted for "the arms 30,31 and 32 respectively, each of said arms having slots 42, 43" and 44" therein corresponding to the slots 30., 31 and 32 in. arms 30, 31 and 32 respectively. Arm 42,is preferably securedto shaft 41' of condenser E by aset screw, while the other two arms 43 and 44am journaled they are swung by respe/cgive cams 26, in-

asmuch as the arms are angles to each other.

. When the hook-up, illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, is operated, as the main dial 21 is et at 120 degree turned, the various arms 42, 43 and 44 will be turned, arm 42 rotating shaft 41 of condenser E, arm 43 rotating sprocket wheel 47 and causing the shaft 41 of condenser F to be driven through a chain 48 and a sprocket 45, while arm 44 will cause sprocket 46 to be rotated thereby driving the shaft 41 of' condenser D by the rotation of the sprocket 46, a chain 48 and a sprocket 45. In this manner, all the sets of movable condenser. plates may be simultaneously turned and as the various individual shafts 23, 24 and 25 are turned, the various sets of movable condenser plates ofthe various condensers D, E and F maybe independently adjusted, due to the eccentric action of cams 28..

Althou h but two types of assembly are illustrated, applicants main dial with the knobs 28, shafts 23, 24 and 25, cams 26 and springs 27 may be used with practically any type of condenser assembly by merely providing different type of driving mechanism off the cams 26 to the sets of movable condenser plates.

The inventor does not wish tolimit himself to the use of his device in connection with merely an assembly of three variable condensers, inasmuch as b slight modifications, the same can be use where any number of condensers, more than one, are used? The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and has been found to be veryv eflicient and successful for the purposes set forth. The device is of cheap and simple construction and can bev readily made and assembled. v 7

It will,.of course, be understood that various changes in'iity be made in. the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the: scope of the present invention.

at is claimedisz- I 1. The combination with aplurality of in dependently movable elements of a radio. condenser assembly, of a single rotatable main control dial, a plurality of means res ectively connected to. respective movable elements of said radio condenser assembly, and a plurality of individual control means mounted in said dial and connected to respective first mentioned means, whereby all of said movable elements may be rotated together as said dial is turned, each of said individual control means being so con- I structed that as the same is individually operated it will operate the respective means connected thereto to rotate one movable element independently of the other movable elements.

2. The combination with a plurality of sets ofrotatable radio condenser plates, of

a rotatably mounted single main control- 3. The combination with a plurality of sets of movable radio condenser plates, of a rotatably mounted main control dial, a plurality of individual control dials journaled in said main dial, a plurality of'suitably pivoted arms, means connecting one of said arms to each of said individual control dials,

whereby as said main dial is turned all of said arms will be simultaneously swung, said means being so constructed that as one of said individual dials'is moved the arm connected therewith will be individually swung in relation to the other arms, and means connecting each of said arms respectively to one of said sets of movable condenser plates to move the set of condenser plates as the arm is swung.

4. The combination with a plurality of sets 'ofrotatable radio condenser plates, of a rotatably mounted main control dial, aplurality of individual control dials journaled in said main dial, a plurality of suitably pivoted arms, means or eccentrically connecting each of said individual control dials to one of said arms, whereby all of said arms will be simultaneously swung as said main dial is turned, and individual arms will be independently swung as individual dials are turned, andmeans for transmitting motion imparted to respective arms torespec- 1 dial, cams connected to each of said individual control -gdials, suitably pivoted arms J adapted to be swung by respective cams as said respective individual control dials are adapted to be simultaneouslysw-ung as said 1 an ting the motion imparted to respective arms main dial is turned, and means for transmitto respective sets of movable condenser plates. v

7. The structure defined in claim 6, and resilient means surrounding said shafts and interposed between said main dial and said eccentrics.

8. The combination with a plurality of sets of rotatable radio condenser plates, of a suitably mounted shaft, a main control dial mounted on said shaft a plurality of individual control dial shafts journaled in said main dial, arms mounted on said first mentioned shaft for swinging movement,

each of said arms having a slot formed therein radially arranged in respect to the axis of said first mentioned shaft, each second mentioned shaft extending through aslot in one of said arms" and cams secured to said second mentioned shafts, workingwithin said slots and adapted to swing respective arms'as respective second mentioned shafts are turned, and means for connecting each arm to swing one set of movable con-. denser plates as the arm 1s swung.

9. The combination with a plurality o f- -sets of rotatable radio condenser plates, of a rotatably mounted main control dial, a plurality oi individual control dials journaledin said main dial, a plurality of suitably pivoted arms, means for eccentrically connecting each of said individual control dials to one of said arms, whereby all of said arms will be simultaneously swung assaid main dial is turned and individual arms will be independently swung as indiridual dials are turned, shafts upon which each set of individual movable condenser plates are mounted, arms connected to each of said shafts and bars respectively connectin one of said first mentioned arms with. one of said last mentioned-arms. 1 1

10. A radio condenser assembl and control, comprising three sets of fixe condenser plates, three sets of movable condenser plates respectively pivotally mounted for cooperation respectively-with said respective sets of fixed condenser plates, a centrally pivoted main dial, three individual control dial shafts journaled in said main dial, dials selln Ian 1 cured t0 the outer ends of said shafts, cylindrical cams eccentrically mounted adjacent the rear ends of said shafts, three arms pivoted for swinging movement coaxially with said main dial, each of said arms having a radial slot therein Within which one of said cams is adapted to work to swing the arm as the shaft to which the cam is secured is turned and means for rotating one of said three sets of movable condenser 1 plates as each arm is swung.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY H. BUISSE. 

